Framing Aging Through the State: Canada's Two Senate Committees on Aging, 1963-1966 and 2006-2009
Keywords:
population aging, Senate of CanadaAbstract
Between 1963-1966 and 2006-2009, the work of two Special Senate Committees on Aging helped to construct a national dialogue around the consequences of population aging. An analysis of the final reports of each Senate committee provides a revealing window into how old age was framed differently as a policy problem in these two eras separated by almost half a century. Although the significance of ageism resonates in each report, the core concerns of the two Senate Committees differ markedly. Poverty among the elderly dominated the research and recommendations of the 1960s committee chaired by Senator David Croll. Its key recommendation – the creation of a Guaranteed Income Supplement for the needy – was quickly implemented in 1967, and subsequently has become one of Canada’s social policy success stories. The 2006-2009 committee, chaired by Senator Sharon Carstairs, focused primarily on promoting healthy aging and a national caregiver strategy. Thus far, its policy significance remains obscure. This article explores the reasons behind the different emphases of each Senate Committee, the framing and impact of their final reports, and the ways in which changing, social economic, and demographic contexts have shaped interactions between citizens and the state around the consequences of population aging. De 1963 à 1966, puis de 2006 à 2009, le travail de deux Comités spéciaux d'enquête sur la gérontologie a contribué à établir un dialogue national sur les conséquences du vieillissement de la population. L'analyse des rapports finaux de ces deux comités sénatoriaux révèle des différences dans la perception de la vieillesse en tant que problème politique à ces deux époques séparées de près d'un demi-siècle. Bien que l'ampleur de l'âgisme ressorte de chaque rapport, les principales préoccupations des deux comités sénatoriaux sont résolument différentes. La question de la pauvreté chez les personnes âgées dominait les recherches et les recommandations du comité des années 1960 présidé par le sénateur David Croll. La recommandation phare de ce comité, à savoir la création d'un Supplément de revenu garanti pour les personnes dans le besoin, a été mise en œuvre dès 1967 pour devenir par la suite l'une des principales réussites canadiennes en matière sociale. Le comité de 2006-2009, présidé par la sénatrice Sharon Carstairs, a principalement axé son travail sur la promotion de la santé des aînés et sur une stratégie nationale relative aux fournisseurs de soins. À ce jour, sa portée politique reste obscure. Cet article explore les raisons qui se cachent derrière les orientations différentes des comités sénatoriaux, l’élaboration et l'impact de leurs rapports finaux, et la manière dont les évolutions sociales, économiques et démographiques ont façonné les interactions entre les citoyens et l'État sur les conséquences du vieillissement de la population.
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